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Antonia MinorAugusta 37ce - Daughter of Marc Antony, mother of Claudius, grandmother of Caligula & NeroBy Jim Phelps
Antonia Minor ("the younger") was the daughter of Marc Antony and
Octavia, and was born about 36BCE. Raised by Octavia in the "royal
orphanage", she was the niece of the first Roman emperor, Augustus
(Octavian). When she was about 20 she married Nero Claudius Drusus, son
of Livia (the current wife of Augustus) and brother of Tiberius. Her
children were Livilla, Germanicus (father of Caligula), and Claudius,
and she was the grandmother of the emperor Nero. After the death of NC
Drusus in 9BCE she refused to remarry, instead devoting herself to the
Roman state. She was reknown for her beauty.

The most dramatic story about her involves Sejanus, the powerful
Praetorian Prefect under Tiberius, who had virtually (and harshly) been
ruling Rome during Tiberius' self-imposed exile. Sejanus and Livilla
had been plotting together, murdering most of the possible heirs to the
throne in plans for Sejanus to seize imperial power. When Sejanus asked
Tiberius for Livilla's hand in marriage he was refused, and Tiberius
instead suggested that he marry Helen, the daughter of Livilla. When
Livilla heard this she went into a rage, writing Sejanus a letter
reminding him of their plots. Antonia discovered a draft of this letter
which she sent to Tiberius, thereby leading to the execution of Sejanus
in 31CE.

Due to Antonia's aid in revealing this plot, Tiberius spared her
family the disgrace of Livilla's execution. Instead, Antonia locked her
daughter into a room and allowed her to starve to death.

When Caligula became emperor he at first treated his grandmother with
respect and had granted her the title of Augusta, but as his mental
illness became worse he turned against her, ordering her suicide in 37CE
after she had expressed unhappiness at the murder of her grandson
Tiberius Gemellus.

Her coins were issued by her son, the emperor Claudius. The coins
were minted in brass, silver, and gold, but by far the most common are
the brass dupondii.



Brass Dupondis

Obv:ANTONIA AVGVSTA - Her draped bust right, with a ponytail.

Rev:TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP - Claudius standing left veiled and togate as a priest, holding a simpulum. S C in fields.
Antonia MinorAugusta 37ce - Daughter of Marc Antony, mother of Claudius, grandmother of Caligula & NeroBy Jim Phelps
Antonia Minor ("the younger") was the daughter of Marc Antony and
Octavia, and was born about 36BCE. Raised by Octavia in the "royal
orphanage", she was the niece of the first Roman emperor, Augustus
(Octavian). When she was about 20 she married Nero Claudius Drusus, son
of Livia (the current wife of Augustus) and brother of Tiberius. Her
children were Livilla, Germanicus (father of Caligula), and Claudius,
and she was the grandmother of the emperor Nero. After the death of NC
Drusus in 9BCE she refused to remarry, instead devoting herself to the
Roman state. She was reknown for her beauty.

The most dramatic story about her involves Sejanus, the powerful
Praetorian Prefect under Tiberius, who had virtually (and harshly) been
ruling Rome during Tiberius' self-imposed exile. Sejanus and Livilla
had been plotting together, murdering most of the possible heirs to the
throne in plans for Sejanus to seize imperial power. When Sejanus asked
Tiberius for Livilla's hand in marriage he was refused, and Tiberius
instead suggested that he marry Helen, the daughter of Livilla. When
Livilla heard this she went into a rage, writing Sejanus a letter
reminding him of their plots. Antonia discovered a draft of this letter
which she sent to Tiberius, thereby leading to the execution of Sejanus
in 31CE.

Due to Antonia's aid in revealing this plot, Tiberius spared her
family the disgrace of Livilla's execution. Instead, Antonia locked her
daughter into a room and allowed her to starve to death.

When Caligula became emperor he at first treated his grandmother with
respect and had granted her the title of Augusta, but as his mental
illness became worse he turned against her, ordering her suicide in 37CE
after she had expressed unhappiness at the murder of her grandson
Tiberius Gemellus.

Her coins were issued by her son, the emperor Claudius. The coins
were minted in brass, silver, and gold, but by far the most common are
the brass dupondii.



Brass Dupondis

Obv:ANTONIA AVGVSTA - Her draped bust right, with a ponytail.

Rev:TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP - Claudius standing left veiled and togate as a priest, holding a simpulum. S C in fields.